1007 WRITING LIFE: THE MEMOIR

Dianne Stewart, author and creative writing teacher

Memoir isn’t the summary of life; it’s a window into a life, very much like a photograph in its selective composition. It may look like a casual and even random calling up of bygone events. It’s not: it’s a deliberate construction.         

William Zinsser

Aspects of memoir writing will be explored in five sessions. The focus will be on genres associated with writing memory, for example memoir essays, autobiography and biography, family histories and humorous memories. Markets available for publishing memoir writing will be discussed. Each session will include writing exercises and feedback.

SESSION TITLES

1.     The benefits of writing short memoirs

2.     Genres associated with memoir writing

3.     Writing family histories

4.     The role of humour in memoir writing

5.     Markets that publish memoir writing

Recommended reading

De Waal, E. 2011. The Hare with the Amber Eyes: a biography. London: Vintage. 

Macdonald, H. 2015. H is for Hawk. New York: Vintage.

Mandela, N. 1994. Long Walk to Freedom. New York: Little Brown & Co.

Sadeed, S. 2012. Forbidden lessons in a Kabul guesthouse: the true story of one woman who risked everything to bring hope to Afghanistan. London: Virago.

Zille, H. 2016. Not without a fight: the autobiography. Johannesburg: Penguin.